games

About two years ago, some participants in my Science of Willpower course started to name “technology addiction” as their main willpower challenge. It’s only accelerated since then, as we’ve fallen more fully in love with our devices.

Last week I stopped by the Toronto studios of the CBC to give advice about how to gain more willpower over the siren songs of your cellphone, email, Facebook, or whatever tech-drug leaves you never satisfied but always seeking your next fix.

One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on with SuperBetter Labs and my twin sister, superstar game designer Jane McGonigal, launched in May 2012: Oprah’s Thank You Game. The Oprah Winfrey Network and Oprah.com partnered with SuperBetter Labs to create a game that spread the benefits of gratitude to millions of people across the globe. Although the 30-day game is over, you can still learn the secrets of “giving good thanks” in this 3-min video that shares the science of how gratitude can improve your own well-being — and change the world.